Elk good for tourism bad for farming

Friday, February 5, 2010

by BRIAN CLEEVE

A North Hastings area farm group is angry that the Ministry of Natural Resources is not working fast enough to implement a controlled hunt to get rid of elk they say are costing thousands of dollars in crop damage.

Elson Ruddy is a spokesperson for the 40-member North Hastings Farmers and Landowners Association, a group he describes as: “a bunch of farmers who are angry," about the fact that elk are destroying crops such as timothy, alfalfa and horse hay.

They are also unhappy with an elk protection group they say is feeding the animals weed seed and causing a problem with weeds in farmers’ fields.

Legal action

The association had considered a lawsuit for damages against the ministry. They paid $10,000 for legal opinion. Hastings County Federation of Agriculture, contributed $4,000. The legal challenge is on hold.

"Legal fees would have been more than $250,000 and the case could have dragged on in the courts for 10 to 15 years," says Ruddy. "We will achieve more through public education and opinion than through the courts."

He adds that a court case would hamper the working relationship with the MNR and concedes that the ministry has come "a long way" on the issue without legal action.

However, at some point in the future legal action may be necessary, he says.

Ruddy says his group plans to launch a web site to let people know about the devastation caused the animals.

He also says that the problems will be discussed at a meeting March 5, at the Bancroft 580 Seniors Club.

High losses

Ruddy and neighbour Dave Parks of the Bancroft area are among dozens of farmers who say they have lost money because of the elk. Parks estimates losses up to $40,000 per year. Ruddy, who left farming in 2006 because of the problem, was suffering losses up to $10,000 per year.

"We can't even sell our houses, the property values are way down," Ruddy, complains.

Parks says the animals are roaming freely near his property and destroying his timothy, alfalfa and horse hay crops. He used dogs twice a day for several weeks to drive them away.

Parks says the government introduced the animals and should take responsibility for them.

"It's not my responsibility to feed them," says Parks, adding that the provincial government needs to adopt a management plan for the animals. He also says that he wants to be reimbursed for "existing and potential losses" caused by the elk which destroyed about 20 acres of alfalfa, and horse hay.

Officials slow to act on emergency bill

Last December the provincial government passed an omnibus that would give farmers the right to "harass capture or kill marauding elk" that are damaging property.

But Ruddy says the ministry has been slow to take action although his group is having ongoing discussions with the ministry about how this should be done.

Bette Jean Crews, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, says her group is pushing for a quick hunt, but the MNR has stated it will  be late in 2011 before such a hunt can be scheduled.

Crews says the MNR is taking too long to implement the emergency bill.

She says the OFA also wants a compensation package for farmers who have lost crops because of the elk, which are an endangered species.

Gayle Grills, president of the 620-member Hastings County Federation of Agriculture, says her group supports a controlled hunt. "They have bred more than anyone expected."

"No one can build a fence that will stop them," she says. Grills, who lives in Quinte West near Trenton, says there are no elk in her area but believes they will be at some point.

She says that the Ontario Federation of Agriculture is working with the MNR to implement  Bill 212 that "will provide compensation for farmers."

Vincent Ewing, district manager for the MNR in Bancroft, says the draft Elk Management Plan contains objectives and strategies aimed at addressing human-elk conflicts.

"The plan refers to the need for new tools to help address the impact of human-elk conflicts, such as the impact on agricultural and private lands caused by elk." 

MNR is exploring opportunities to work with local landowners on an elk transmitter collaring project to help monitor the movement of local elk.

Ewing says there are no plans for an elk cull or for penning them. He adds that the MNR has been working with farmers to resolve the issue.

Jack Caddick, a member of the original implementation team that brought the elk from Elk Island, Alta, in 2000 and 2001, says the elk had been in the Bancroft about 100 years ago, but died out over the years.

"We wanted to bring them back because they had been here and because they benefit tourism," he says.

About 120 elk were brought to the Bancroft area, one of four sites in Ontario. He says there was a discussion about having a hunt if numbers reached 300, but Caddick says there was some doubt that they would even reach that figure. He estimates there are 500 elk in the area now.

Caddick, president of the Quinte Elk Restoration Committee, says much of the problem has been "overblown."

"There are only two or three farmers affected and we (his committee) have offered to compensate them for their lost hay. But they only seem interested in getting rid of the elk."

Caddick also says that a "good wire fence (six feet) will keep the elk from damaging crops."

Boost for the local economy

His committee is planning a one- week in hunt in September 2011 in the Bancroft area.

The hunt will not only help curtail the population of elk, but will also benefit the community, he says.

"The merchants will benefit because the people coming to hunt will need accommodation and food. Landowners can also make money by renting out their land for the hunt."

But Ruddy says that the Quinte Elk group cannot guarantee there will be a hunt and if there is one it would only involve 50 tags, a "drop in the bucket" compared to the number of elk that remain.

Caddick also says bus tours are coming to see elk in an area on Hartsmere Road south of McCarther's Mills, where 50 of the critters are gathered in one place.

"They are docile, people can come close enough to take photos of them."

Spreading weeds?

Ruddy’s organization complains the elk spread weeds. They say the Quinte group feeds the animals weed seed. The animals then leave behind "rampant weeds that we know nothing about" when they defecate says Parks.

But Caddick disputes that. At one time the group did use weed seed but hasn't for "a year or two." "We take corn and grind it up," he adds.

Neither Grills nor Crews say they are aware of the weed problem.BF

Clarification:Gayle Grills says there is no compensation for farmers provided for in Bill 212.